Tuesday, September 5, 2017

The Sun Is Also A Star Book Review

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Fate they say it only happens once in a life time though in The Sun Is Also A Star By Nicola Yoon the theory is tested to the limits and proven wrong. Since a young unfortunate immigrant named Natasha and a mature successful young adult named Danielle, kept bumping into each other continuously and surprising enjoying every single time. They began to fall in love though only one thing was keeping their fate together that is the fact that Natasha was getting deported. To think things can’t get any worse well you have guessed it they most certainly can and unfortunately do. Natasha and Danielle began to listen to the universe and become really great friends. Unfortunately, the days are coming closer to her being deported and no one understands what the universe wants or what is going to happen. No matter what there is going to be a thrilling ending.


 The book has too many curse words and started off slow. The novel also did not have chapters it has short stories going back and forth between characters and continually told stories about important life lessons and poems that barely relate to the stories.  At a point the story gave the hint that this novel is a romance and should be only for a mature audience as it had a lot of adult situations. This wouldn’t be recommended for a middle school age population.  Unfortunately the novel The Sun Is Also A Star By Nicola Yoon did not meet my expectations. So I am going to have to give it two stars because it a little misleading. Carlene G., Teen Reviewer

Monday, May 1, 2017

Party Games Book Review

Party Games by R.L. Stine

            In the book, Party Games by R. L. Stine, everything seems weird when the main character, Rachel Martin, was invited to her crush, Brendon Fear’s birthday party on his family’s private secluded island called Fear Island.  Weird events start occurring the day before the party before the guests left the town of Shadyside.  Rachel finds a dead rat in her bed as she is going to sleep.  As the guests start heading to the island, scary things continued to occur.  At the party Brendan and Rachel were partners for the scavenger hunt.  This was not the type of game Rachel expected as her friends started dying.  However, at the end Rachel learned that it was just a game Brendan made up and her friends were in on it and were acting.  The book took and even weirder turn when Rachel’s ex-boyfriend’s father kidnapped Brendan and Rachel.

            R. L. Stine was successful in making the book a mystery.  The story continued the suspense until the end of the book.  The writing flow of the book was easy to read and follow.  The content of the book of the book outweighed the flaws as you were always trying to figure out what would happen next.  The book appeals to middle school aged teens.  Teens can relate to the feeling of doing things for their crush’s attention and the excitement of going to parties.  This title is definitely worth having in a book collection. Connor H.; Teen Reviewer

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Macbeth Book Review

Macbeth
William Shakespeare

I just recently read the book Macbeth by William Shakespeare.  Macbeth is a 5-act long play from the Elizabethan time period in England (November 17, 1558 - March 24, 1603).  Macbeth takes place in the somewhat Middle Ages in Scotland and England.  Macbeth is a Thane of a place called Glams, which is one class lower than a king.  After finishing a battle, Macbeth and his fellow general Banquo stumble upon some witches.  The witches tell Macbeth that he will be king.  This gets Macbeth thinking, and with some persuasion from his wife, he kills King Duncan.  Macbeth becomes king afterwards and slowly descends into madness as he kills anyone preventing him from being king.

As for someone who doesn’t understand this earlier version of English that well, Macbeth was quite a challenge to read.  If it were written in simpler English, it would be easier to follow.  This book/play serves as a cautionary tale about what happens if someone is tempted to take shortcuts with dire consequences to success.  For a cautionary tale, it’s really interesting to see how everything plays out in an almost chain reaction sort of way.  I recommend this book to someone who is interested in The Middle Ages, while also learning an important life lesson about temptation.  I really like the book because there are so many different parts that link together to a really fantastic and shocking ending.  The murder scenes are really good, too.  Some of them are pretty serious, and some others are actually pretty funny if one were to think about it.  Macbeth is a really interesting, wonderful, and tragic story that is timeless and a pleasure to read. Julia D.; Teen Reviewer

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Until We Meet Again Book Review

Until We Meet Again
Renee Collins


            This novel features the love of a life time, a love that withstands the space of time, a love that lasts forever. The main characters Cass and Lawrence fall in love, but with time and a future murder in the way, their relationship is on the line. Only able to meet on the beach behind their house, Lawrence and Cassandra fight the future and past to be together. Collins’ diction evokes heart wrenching emotion from the reader, making you feel as if you were there. This novel is a must read for any modern-day teen or any hopeless romantic. Elizabeth B.; Teen Reviewer

The Kiss of Deception Book Review

The Kiss of Deception
Mary E. Pearson


            A gripping novel filled with love triangles, hidden secrets and the fight for survival, every teenager in America must read it. Lia a runaway princess must blend into a small fishing town in order to keep her identity hidden, but with a prince and an assassin following her every move, her life and cover may be on the line. Faced with lies at every turn Lia must figure out who she can trust in the world of deception and secrets. This novel sheds light on how dark the world can be and that we must uncover the light and cherish it because we never know when the darkness of lies make cover it up.  Elizabeth B.; Teen Reviewer

Divergent Book Review

Divergent
Veronica Roth


            Filled with a forbidden romance, a fight for survival, and deception at every turn, this novel is a must read. Tris (Beatrice) and Four find their way together, but must go against everything they have been taught in order to uncover the truth about their “perfect” society. Battling against family and old friends, Tris and Four must find new friends they can trust, ones that can help them in unveiling the truth. Through this novel we learn that everything is not as it seems and that what we perceive is only a perception, not the truth. Elizabeth B.; Teen Reviewer

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

The Enchantress Book Review


The Enchantress by Michael Scott
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and they must make the most of it by completing this final task. They must defend San Francisco, which has just recently been overrun by monsters and demons. The monsters, which have been captured and held in cells, will soon be released into the city. If the beasts do not get stopped, they will kill everyone and destroy everything in their path. Luckily, the beasts do get stopped when Nicholas and Perenelle finally use their auras, which they have been saving and rarely using for such an occasion.
            The author did set out what he wanted to do. At the end of the fifth book, the author ended in a cliffhanger, as well as leaving many loose ends that need to be tied, which he did do perfectly in the sixth book, The Enchantress. The plot and flow of the novel felt a bit rigid, as the point of view got jumped around in the chapters of the novel, as well as the chapters themselves. The author clearly did some research on famous figures in history, and did an amazing job of implementing said characters into his novel, and giving them some actual important parts, instead of just being fill-in characters. This book appeals to people who enjoy science fiction, as the book deals with magic, warlocks, immortality, as well as demons, and this book would also appeal to people who enjoy history, as the book takes in some famous figures in history and implements them into the storyline. This book appeals to both middle and high school audiences, the book has simple language, with some bigger words sprinkled in there. Lyonel L.; Teen Reviewer


Almost Home Book Review

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

12 year old Sugar Mae Cole’s grandfather dies, and is very sad, yet goes on with her life. As soon as she thought life couldn’t be any worse, it got worse Sugar and her mom, Reba, lost their house in Missouri. Sugar’s mom is in debt because her dad took all their money and left them with nothing. This is how they lost their house. Reba makes a quick trip to the grocery store with Sugar, and expected the unexpected. This little girl gives Sugar a puppy named Shush, and hurries off, leaving Sugar there holding the puppy very confused. After that, Sugar and her mom are forced to evacuate their house, leaving many memories behind. Now they are moving from homeless shelters to homeless houses.


My favorite part of the book would have to be when the little girl gives Sugar the puppy. It was a nice sweet moment to see a new addition to the family, by surprise. I would definitely recommend this book to a middle-school audience. The book Almost Home by Joan Bauer should definitely be kept in the library. The story is great for kids to learn to move on with their life, because it’s not the end of the world if a loved one passes away, or if you lose something very important to you. It’s the start of a new beginning. Sugar and her mom learned to live with nothing but a puppy, and in a homeless shelter. This book is 5 stars. Leyla L.; Teen Reviewer

Fated Book Review

Fated
By Alyson Noel

Weird things are happening to Daire Santos. She started having visions. People stalk her, time suddenly stops, crows mock her and a handsome boy haunts her dreams. Daire sometimes dreams of kissing a boy with blue eyes in a clearing. At times, she will see scary scenes and people around her, but it is not until she has a terrifying vision while out with a Hollywood hottie and attacks him to get away that others learn about her new ability. Scared for her daughter sanity, Daire’s mom sends her to live with her grandmother who knows about this stuff. Her mother, Jennika, is a Hollywood makeup artist, and Daire’s life so far has been spent traveling around the world, going to Internet school, and having brief relationships with famous actors. Soon her heritage and powers emerge, and she must grow up quickly to face and fight evil in this layered beginning of a unique series.


 Overall, I did enjoy this book and the characters in it. However, I do not see myself picking up the next book. I did like what I was reading, but I am not compelled to look into the life of Daire anymore. I will read reviews of future books and see how it is received and might give it a try depending on what others say. If you read Alyson’s Immortals series and liked it, then odds are you will like Fated as well. I would read a couple of chapters see what you think and decide from there. Or check around and see what others think as well. Alyson is a good writer and has developed a very interesting mythology for this book, but I am just not wowed by the overall storyline. Leslie L.; Teen Reviewer